Seventy-five years ago, nations made a pledge radical in its simplicity and moral clarity: “All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.” Those words begin the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights and are “an extraordinary expression of optimism and faith in a world still reeling from the destruction of two world wars and the barbarity of the Holocaust,” declared U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
“Indeed, when the Declaration was drafted and adopted, the rights it enumerated were impossibly fragile. Yet today, these rights are woven into the very fabric of our societies. They're part of a compact that binds our global community. They set a standard for freedom, for justice and human dignity,” he said.
On the 75th anniversary of the declaration signing, “we have a growing responsibility to carry that progress forward, especially as voices increasingly challenge the universality of these fundamental rights, their relevance, their legitimacy,” said Secretary Blinken. That is why, he added, the United States is making several pledges to defend and promote human rights.
“First, we will enhance our work to build strong societies that respect human rights, including through President Biden's Presidential Initiative for Democratic Renewal. We'll also expand our investment in programs to defend media freedom and the safety of journalists to prevent and combat human rights violations, to protect human rights defenders, to promote accountability and the rule of law,” he said.
“Second, we will ensure human rights are upheld in our increasingly digital world,” said Secretary Blinken. “We're setting forth the National Action Plan to promote due diligence by businesses and to ensure that our government’s own business operations uphold human rights, labor rights and environmental rights. We'll take steps to help technology companies prevent their platforms from being used as staging grounds for attacks against human rights defenders and other members of civil society.”
“Finally, we're committed to expanding our efforts to promote racial justice and address gender-based violence in the United States and around the world,” noted Secretary Blinken.
It is the obligation of governments, advocates, the United Nations, and every individual to continue to work to bring about a world where the inherent dignity of every person is honored and upheld.
